1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to transaxles for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly, to a differential housing with an integrated ring gear and a method of forming the housing with the ring gear integrated therewith.
2. Description of the Related Art
Differential mechanisms are widely used in drive axles in automobiles for transmitting torque from an engine driven transmission output to left and right axle shaft for transferring force to wheels secured to the ends of the axle shafts. The differential mechanism typically includes a plurality of gears for allowing the left and right axle shafts to rotate at different speeds while still transmitting torque to the wheels driven by the axle shafts.
Conventional differential mechanisms include an outer housing and a separate ring gear fixedly secured to the outer housing. Producing separate housings and rings gears and later interconnecting the ring gears to the housings requires numerous machining and welding operations. Conventional welding operations generate heat in an amount sufficient to distort the housing and the ring gear.
Accordingly, it remains desirable to have a method of forming a differential housing having a ring gear integrally formed therein without the need to weld together a housing and a ring gear.